Having been cleared to play by the ARU Integrity Unit, the Queensland Reds have named Scott Higginbotham in their 29-man squad to take on the Melbourne Rebels in a trial tomorrow night.
Coach Nick Stiles has named a near full strength starting fifteen, with George Smith the only notable absentee.
Adam Korczyk will have the first chance to show he is capable of being Smith’s cover man as he gets the nod at openside flanker.
Higginbotham will make his return to Ballymore from the bench, with Henrick Tui and Leroy Houston given first crack in the back row alongside Korczyk.
Stiles has said that the centre combination is not yet set in stone but may have shown his hand by naming silky playmaker Duncan Paia’aua at inside centre with Samu Kerevi outside him.
Izaia Perese will start on the wing, with Brisbane Broncos recruit Lachlan Maranta to come off the bench along with other uncapped rookies Markus Vanzati, Izack Rodda, Tyrone Lefau and Jayden Ngamanu.
Stiles has made no secret that the preseason would be aimed towards peaking at the Rebels trial and said as much today.
"We’ve put so much work into our pre-season and there’s a genuine sense of excitement amongst the team. We can’t wait for tomorrow night," he said.
“We’ve named a near-full strength side for the trial because it’s our last hit out before Super Rugby. It’s time to put into practice what we’ve worked on.
“We went into the pre-season knowing we had the tens and that was a good hit out, but now we shift our focus to this trial and the opening round of Super Rugby.”
TEAM
Reds team to play the Rebels at Ballymore
1. James Slipper (C)
2. Stephen Moore
3. Sam Talakai
4. Rob Simmons
5. Kane Douglas
6. Hendrik Tui
7. Adam Korczyk
8. Leroy Houston
9. Nick Frisby
10. Quade Cooper
11. Eto Nabuli
12. Duncan Paia’aua
13. Samu Kerevi
14. Izaia Perese (uncapped)
15. Karmichael Hunt
Reserves
16. Andrew Ready
17. Markus Vanzati (uncapped)
18. Sef Fa’agase
19. Lukhan Tui
20. Michael Gunn
21. James Tuttle
22. Jake McIntyre
23. Chris Kuridrani
24. Izack Rodda (uncapped)
25. Scott Higginbotham
26. Henry Taefu
27. Tyrone Lefau (uncapped)
28. Lachlan Maranta (uncapped)
29. Jayden Ngamanu (uncapped)
Can't get to Ballymore? Redsrugby.com.au will be streaming the game, from 7:30pm AEDT, 6:30pm local
